August 23, 2013

The Morning Wrap

Top Cop: Outgoing FBI Director Robert Mueller III opens up to The Washington Post about how the agency transformed from a tackling domestic crime to combating terrorism using counterintelligence. Among the changes, it more than doubled in size since 2001, the same year Mueller took over the job.

Voting Rights: Texas' voter ID law and redistricting plan are the focus of two U.S. Justice Department legal actions announced Thursday. Attorney General Eric Holder Jr. is making a stand for the Voting Rights Act of 1965, weaked by the recent Supreme Court ruling. The National Law Journal's Todd Ruger reports.

Debt Ceiling: With little more than a week left in Congress' month-long receess, budget talks have gone nowehere, according to The New York Times. That could spell trouble come October 1.

Gas Attack: The U.N. is pressing Syria to inspect if there was indeed a gas attack that was reported to have killed hundreds of people. The Syrian government is suspected to be behind the attack. Reuters reports.

Legal Biz: The former general counsel of Phillip Morris who moved to Boies Schiller & Flexner last year is making the lateral move to Dechert. DealBook reports that David Bernick is expected to make the announcement Friday.